The Beav according to Beav

Still crazy after all these years.

Friday, August 08, 2008

I <3 the Olympics

The Olympics have begun, and we do get some of the coverage here in Korea. I'm watching the Parade of Nations (after watching that amazing Opening Ceremony).

I love the Olympics. It is inspiring to watch the best athletes in the world do the things that they are best at. The competition is supremely engaging. But watching the Parade of Nations strikes me with two other thoughts that inspire me even more.

As the countries' delegations come in and do their walk, they end in the center of the stadium, divided in their little spaces. But if you look closely (and NBC's coverage moves in a few times to show), there is quite a bit of mingling going on. The athletes from one country go to visit, take pictures with, and shake hands with, the athletes from other (sometimes "opposing") countries. The Olympic ideal never seems so true and clear as it does when you see that.

The other thing that strikes me is looking at the delegations from countries around the world, I can't help but notice the beautiful women. I don't understand how you can have racists in this world. I mean, look at the women from Namibia, and Senegal, and India, and Liechtenstein, and Australia, and Bermuda, and Iraq, and Argentina, and everywhere! How can anyone look on these people and even comprehend the word "inferior" without applying it to himself/herself. I can't.

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